RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT ENTITIES

A relevant subject of discussion in the field at the moment is the importance of responsible management entities. The discussion is far reaching, occuring in both the academic and professional fields. One of the important papers published on the subject is availible online. I have included the abstract below. Additionally, a link to the full report on the web is provided.

Responsible Management Entities as a Method To Ensure Decentralized Wastewater System Viability

Contributing Writers
Christopher D. English, P.E. and Tomas E. Yeager, P.E.
ABSTRACT: It is generally accepted that small and decentralized wastewater systems are a viable option for urban, near urban, and rural communities. It also is accepted that proper system management, operation, and maintenance can measurably enhance system life and performance. To address this need, the authors present a philosophical argument for the formation of responsible management entities (RMEs) as a method for ensuring the viability of decentralized wastewater systems. RME is defined as a legal entity that has the technical, managerial, and financial capacity to ensure viable long-term, cost-effective, centralized management, operation, and maintenance of decentralized wastewater systems in accordance with appropriate regulations and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Viability is defined as the capacity of a responsible management entity to provide adequate technical, managerial, and financial resources to protect the public health and the environment consistently, in perpetuity, and at a minimal cost to taxpayers. Finally, since research of existing operational decentralized wastewater systems as RMEs is ongoing and, therefore, limited, the authors often rely on personal experience to support their assumptions. However, a case study is presented, which describes a utility system that possesses, from the authors’ perspective, the majority of those qualities and assets required by, and common to, all RMEs.